The drama that is conference realignment has not subsided since Syracuse and Pittsburgh made the jump to the ACC; instead it has thrown the BCS conferences into a perpetual state of uncertainty, with the Big East scrambling as teams flee.

With all of the decisions that are made regarding these conferences, it's important to keep perspective. These are decisions largely made based on football (much of that for TV ratings), so any effect on lacrosse is a trickle-down from much bigger decisions.

The big news today, is that West Virginia has decided it is leaving the Big East for the Big 12. The Big 12 of course has had its own problems, with Missouri trying to flee for the SEC. It's the fourth football school to leave the Big East, with Syracuse and Pitt leaving last month, and TCU opting not to come to the Big East and instead go to the Big 12. This leaves the Big East football conference with only five schools that play FBS football: Cincinnati, Connecticut, Louisville, Rutgers and South Florida.

So what does this mean for lacrosse?

Right now, nothing. But, there are a number of trickle-down effects that could occur. The Big East lacrosse conference will be down to six schools once Syracuse officially exits (still some uncertainty on when that will be, but likely two years). Conferences need six schools to keep its automatic qualifier in the NCAA Tournament

2. A current lacrosse school leaves the Big East

With so much turmoil in the conference, other schools could jump ship. Luckily for the Big East, the Big 12 — the likely target for more teams — said it is stopping at 10 teams for now. An interesting tidbit: Rutgers is killing in the ratings in New York City. The ACC would love to boost its footprint in New York and could be the beneficiary. Joining the ACC would be huge for the Rutgers lacrosse program.

3. Notre Dame=Wild Card

Full membership from the Irish has always been the target for a number of conferences. Notre Dame likes its current situation of having independence in football but the luxury of a conference schedule in other sports. But if the Irish see the writing on the wall that it's time to join a conference full-time, it likely won't be the Big East because of its lack of football prowess. The Big Ten and ACC would love to have them. Any of these teams jumping to the ACC would then give the ACC an AQ. And Notre Dame going to the Big Ten is just one more step closer to a Big Ten lacrosse conference (Ohio State, Penn State and Michigan would make four Big Ten schools with varsity men's lacrosse).

4. Big East implodes

The Big East has survived a situation like this before, when Miami, Virginia Tech and Boston College fled to the ACC. But say teams all get scared and scatter elsewhere: That could mean all the current Big East teams spread out among college lacrosse conferences and create even more realignment on the horizon.

Again, there is a lot that could happen. It's one of the more interesting storylines in college sports, and the end result for college lacrosse could be wild.